I'll always be there No matter what
by TeamDiNozzo
Summary: Gibbs comes hom to find something not quite as he had left it. Pre-series. I have yet to see a story like this so I thought I'd write one. Sucky summery. Just read please! R&R too? Limmited letters bad summery! Sorry!
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Heyyyyyy! :D So, I know I haven't updated my other story yet….BUT!, chapter eleven is ALMOST done! Please don't kill me! *hides behind desk* And well, this was a story line that's been suck in my head for awhile and so yeah…(: hehe well, I'd like to know what you guys think…..ohh! And check my profile for a link that goes to a facebook page that I've made for _What's Next? _so I think you might like it (: well, its not done YET but it should be soon :D hehehe soo if you have a fb, I encourage you to like it and hell, maybe even add me as a friend! :D 'Cause that's totally not creepy at all! XD hehehe Well its going to be Thanksgiving here in about like four days! :D yayyyy! Turkey! XD You know you love me :3 hehehe. Well here it is. I've never seen a story like this so I thought it'd be pretty freaking cool if I made one. :D

Enjoy! And don't forget to leave a review!

~Team DiNozzo

* * *

God he hated it. Being gone for three years, so soon after he had celebrated his daughter Kelly's fifth birthday. Even more so being away from his beautiful wife whom he had married just that many years ago, while only seeing her for about two of them.

Oh yeah. He _hated _it.

Gunnery Sergeant Leroy Jethro Gibbs set his bags down outside his front door. _Would she have stayed? Waited for him to return home? Or had she left? Run off with another man? _He stood there, in front of the door, hand hovering over then door knob, mulling over these questions.

Shaking his head to rid his brain of these awful thought, _Shannon's not like that. _he thought to himself, and opened the door.

* * *

He set his bags on the ground upon entering the home.

"Shannon?" he tentatively called out to what seemed to be an empty house.

He waited a minute or two before he chose to try and find her. He walked upstairs first. Nothing. Downstairs, he checked down the hall. Nada. _where could she be? _he thought. Everything of hers was still where she had left it when he left. He walked into the living room. Zilch. As he headed for the kitchen, he caught his foot on something and stumbled slightly. Muttering a few curses under his breath, he looked down to see what on earth was lying in the middle of the floor.

A small model car.

Frowning, he picked it up and continued his trek to the kitchen.

And that's where he found her. She was sitting at the kitchen table, reading a book.

"Shannon?"

The young read-headed woman slowly tore her gaze away from the novel she was currently engrossed in, to find her husband, standing in the kitchen's entry-way.

"Jethro?" she whispered. She couldn't believe that after three long years, he was finally home.

Jethro watched as his wife drop her book and practically throw herself into his arms. Tears of happiness fell from her expressive green eyes.

"Oh Jethro!" she sobbed and hugged him tightly. "I've missed you so much!"

"I've missed you too Shan." he smiled as he felt his wife's arms tighten around him.

They stood there for a few minutes, in each others loving embrace, before Shannon slowly pulled away and looked into her lovers eyes.

Gibbs stared back at the woman. God how he had missed her. A small smile grazed his lips.

Then he remembered the car. Slowly, he pulled the hand that was holding the small toy in front of them both.

Shannon looked at the toy and saw the confusion in the blue orbs that were currently staring at her.

She opened her mouth to say something, when she heard a small yawn come from the living room. Jethro had obviously heard it as well, considering the quizzical look he shot her as the sound of small feet padded through the living room and into the kitchen.

Gibbs turned around to find a small boy with short brown hair and green eyes, dragging a pale blue blanket behind him, standing in the threshold.

He watched as the boy, who had to be no more than two by the looks of it, slowly raise his arms to be picked up.

Jethro glanced at his wife who gave him an encouraging smile.

Slowly, he went over and picked him up. The boy immediately wrapped his arms around the grown mans neck and rest his head on his shoulder and yawn.

He turned to Shannon "Who is this?" he asked.

"His name is Anthony."

He nodded.

"Who's is he?"

Shannon sighed.

"He's yours Jethro." she said quietly. "His name's Anthony Jethro Gibbs."

* * *

A/N: Soooooo? What did you think? Personally, I LOVED writing it…..AND it leaves you guys with a cliffy! :D now you've gotta wait for the next chapter to find out his reaction! :D and now you ate me D: *ducks from flying knives* Please leave a NICE review? (: thanks! Love ya all!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Hey! :D So I'm so freaking happy about the feedback that I got for the first chapter! (: I posted the first chapter one night…..and when I checked me email in the morning before school…..OVER THIRTY FREAKING ALEARTS AND REVIEWS! :D I was practically jumping for joy!….then I remembered why the hell I had my cell-phone alarm go off at 4:15 am…..to prepare my self for when my mom gets me up at 5:30 am….goddamn school! DX Gahh! I HATE getting the bus at like 6:40 am. I HATE IT! D: Blahhhh well I can't wait to see what you guys think of this one! Please, please, please, please, please, PLEASE review at the end. I can't stress this enough, but you guys and your thoughts on my writing are a major part of my day and trying to complete the next chapter….it keeps me going. I'm sorry if it takes awhile to update, it's hard to find any free time when you're trying to balance your life between school work, friends, and life in general. Again, I am really sorry for the long wait! Please forgive me and tell me what you think of this chapter even if its kinda like really short! Sorry! Oh, and Happy really late Thanksgiving! :D hehe (:

* * *

Gibbs stood there with the boy - Anthony- on his hip.

"How-" she cut him off.

"Later Jethro."

"But-"

"I said, later." he replied sternly.

He looked at his wife, then Anthony, who was currently amazed by the shiny object around his father's neck.

"Okay." he finally replied. He pulled the dog tags out from under his shirt ad watched the little boy's eyes widen in awe.

Carefully, Gibbs moved himself around Shannon and sat at the table. He turned Anthony so that the kid was in his lap.

The two parents watched as their son's small hands investigated the pieces of metal at the end of the chain.

"He's a small little guy." Gibbs looked at his wife. "How old?"

"He'll be three in July."

"You can't be serious." he couldn't believe that the little boy, who was currently going over the small indented letters on the tags with his little fingers, was going to be three in a little more than two months.

She nodded.

"Doctor's say that he must be a slow one."

Gibbs just nodded and looked at Anthony, who looked like he was trying very hard to decipher the words on the tag.

"Do you call him Anthony? Or does he have a nickname?" he asked.

"We call him Tony, or AJ for Anthony Jethro or TJ for Tony Jethro."

He nodded.

Tony looked up at his father and pointed to the last name on the tag, then at Jethro, the himself.

Gibbs nodded, a little unsure of what his son had meant.

He watched a smile grow and light up the the small face.

The first thing he had said since Gibbs had net him, nearly brought tears of happiness to his eyes.

"Daddy." and he threw himself around his father's neck, embracing him into as stron a hug as an almost three year old could manage.

* * *

A/N: Well? What did you guys think? pretty cute huh? :D Well, leave a review and I may just update faster! (: you never know! hehehe ohh and I am SOOOOOOO upset! D: how could stupid Rudolph the red nose reindeer be on for two freaking weeks? THERE WAS NO NEW NCIS! DX I nearly DIED! WAAAAAAAAHHHHHH! :( Well, at least there's a new one next week :) but Idk if its a repeat but I really don't care! :D As long as I can start watching it again is all that matters to me. :) hehehe well I think I shall leave it to you! Review please! :)) Ohh and any of you have recommendations for and Tony whumping or Tony/Gibbs father son stories for me to read? IM DESPARATE! D: Leave a suggestion in your review and it'll go to a great cause! :D the 'Save Courtney from extreme boredom and NCIS withdrawal fund' :) please? Love you all! 3


	3. Chapter 3

A/N 1: I just have to tell you this now THIS IS A REPOST CHAPTER! I added more and I think its better this way (: sorry for those of you who have to re-read this chapter. I just think this is a better version.

A/N 2: I know! I know! I've been on hiatus for a long time but well I've had a lot going on like MCAS and my freshman long comp and now I have finals coming up next week and the week after so its going to take a long time for me to write let alone update another chapter to my stories that need them…..just fair warning to that. And on another note I loved the response I got from the last chapter. I just love writing this story in general :D hehe its just soo cute (: and well anyways there will be other stuff other than some fluffy moments (: so, with that said and done….read on!

* * *

Gibbs smiled and returned the hug to his son. _His son. _the concept seemed so foreign to him. The little boy currently in his arms had been born and alive for three years. He had missed three years of his boy's life.

Shannon watched the interaction between father and son and smiled. She left the boys at the table and went about making some coffee.

"Mumma tell me about daddy." Tony, who was still smiling and sitting in his father's lap, said as he looked up at his dad.

"Really? What'd she say?" he asked. He saw Shannon shake her head as she moved about the kitchen.

"She say that daddy a hero." Tony repositioned himself on Gibbs' lap and continued speaking. "That daddy out saving and, and," he scrunched up his face as he tried to pronounce what his mother had told him. "pro-pr-pro-pro- umm….."

"Protecting." Shannon said as she leaned against the door frame to the kitchen.

"Yeah!" Tony smiled "Protecting our country."

Gibbs nodded and turned his head towards his wife.

Shannon let out a small laugh at the amused expression on Jethro's face.

Gibbs smirked at his wife. He opened his mouth to speak when the unmistakable sound from a school bus' brakes began, followed by a voice.

"Elly!" Tony yelled. He climbed off his father's lap and ran to the front door. "Elly!" he yelled again and again as he ran.

Gibbs turned towards Shannon, confused.

She read the puzzled look on her husband's face and smiled. She pointed towards the door, where Tony was trying desperately to reach the door knob.

Both parents watched as the toddler jumped up and down, even stood on his tip-toes, trying to grasp and turn the offending metal object.

After his seventh or eighth attempt, the boy finally succeeded in opening the door.

"Elly!" Tony yelled and launched himself into his older sister's arms.

"Whoa!" Kelly said as she caught her younger brother. "Easy there TJ!" she smiled as he pulled away and beamed up at his sister.

"Elly! Elly! Guess what?" he said, jumping up and down excitedly.

"Ummm," she thought. She opened her mouth to say something, but was cut off by their mother calling them.

"Kelly! Tony!" Shannon called over to her children, who were still in the doorway.

Tony grabbed Kelly's hand and practically dragged her into the kitchen. Smiling the whole time.

Gibbs watched his daughter's face light up.

"Daddy!" she yelled and bounded into her father's awaiting arms.

"Hey there Kells." he kissed her temple. "I missed you."

"I missed you too daddy." she smiled and hugged him tighter.

Shannon watched as Jethro was reunited with his first born, his daughter. She glanced over at Tony, who had sat himself on the floor where Kelly had left him, stare longingly at his dad and sister. She went over and picked up the small boy. Taking in his unusually downcast face.

"What's wrong Tony?" she asked. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jethro and Kelly look their way.

"Elly forgot." the boy's voice was near silent as his shoulders slumped. "Elly forgot." he repeated.

She watched as Kelly gasped.

"Oh no." the realization of what happened dawned on her.

Everyday, when Kelly came home from school, Tony would greet her at the door and have her guess the most interesting thing about his day. Then, he'd drag her into the kitchen, where they would share an after-school snack. First Tony would talk about his day, then Kelly, about hers.

Kelly scrambled off Jethro's lap and ran to her brother.

"Oh TJ I'm so sorry!" she looked at his green eyes. "I was just so happy that daddy was home that I completely forgot!" she held her hand up towards his. "Please forgive me?" she asked.

Tony looked at his big sister's pleading face and slowly nodded.

Kelly smiled as Tony's much smaller hand grasped hers.

Shannon put Tony down and watched him drag his sister into the kitchen, babbling about his day. The previous events, forgotten.

Shannon walked over and sat next to her husband.

He took her hand in his.

"Everyday?"

She nodded.

"Every single one." she smiled. "Even when she has a friend over. Then its both of them."

Gibbs laughed lightly.

Both parents watched as brother and sister sat in the kitchen talking about whatever came to their three and five year old minds. Laughing and going along with whatever story was taking place.

* * *

Gibbs sat on the couch with Shannon snuggled up close at his side. The children on the floor coloring.

Both parents watched as Tony struggled to keep his head up. They both say just how tired the boy was.

Gibbs made a move just as the toddler's head came to a rest on top of his outstretched arm. His eyes drifting closed.

"Hey bud," he crouched down next to his son. He watched as sleepy, slightly unfocused eyes looked up at him. "time for bed."

Tony nodded his head slowly. His eyes slowly loosing their battle with gravity.

Carefully, Jethro picked up the little boy in his arms and watched as Kelly and Shannon stood to follow the boys upstairs.

Gibbs carefully placed his son down onto his bed and pulled the side up to prevent the little one from falling out. He gently brushed the hair off the boys forehead. He leaned down and placed a soft kiss onto Tony's temple.

"Night Tony." he whispered.

"G'Night daddy." Tony yawned. He snuggled into the blankets. "Love you daddy"

Gibbs smiled and ran his fingers through his boy's soft brown locks.

"Love you too bud." he placed another kiss on the boy's forehead. "See you in the morning."

Shannon watched as her husband continued to run his fingers through his son's hair, long after he had fallen asleep. Silently, she entered the room and placed a baby monitor beside the lamp on the night-stand next to Tony's bed.

"Shan?" Gibbs gave his wife a questioning glance as she turned the baby monitor on. Kelly hadn't needed the monitor after she had turned one. He wondered why Tony, almost at the age of three, still needed one.

"He gets nightmares." she sad. Copying Jethro in running her fingers through their son's hair. "Very vivid nightmares." she pressed a kiss to temple and whispered a 'goodnight'.

They both heard Kelly entered the room.

"Daddy?" she asked.

"What is it princess?" he picked her up.

"Are you gonna work on the boat?" she asked.

Truthfully, he hadn't even thought of or about the boat that was currently sitting, unfinished, in the basement.

"Sure." he finally said.

"Can I help?"

Jethro couldn't help but smile.

"Of course."

Shannon smiled and handed the other monitor to Jethro.

In response, he gave her a puzzled look.

"It's only seven-thirty," she said. "I have to go out and get some things before the store closes. Since you're going to the basement, bring that with you." she gave him a kiss. "Just in case."

Gibbs nodded.

She smiled and kissed her daughter goodnight before she left the room.

He watched his wife exit. Then, he faced his daughter.

"Ready?" he asked.

Kelly nodded.

Her father put her down and began to walk out of her brother's room.

"Wait!" she called out.

Gibbs stopped and turned around.

He watched as Kelly climbed onto the bed and gently kissed her little brother's forehead.

"Sleep tight AJ." she said quietly. She climbed off the bed and walked over to her dad. "Now I'm ready." she smiled.

He just smiled and, followed by Kelly, left the room.

* * *

"I missed this." Jethro said as he guided Kelly's small hands with his larger ones with-the-grain as they sanded.

"Me too daddy." Kelly smiled.

Father and daughter lapsed into a comfortable silence as they became reacquainted with each other's company.

A small whimper broke the silence.

Gibbs stopped sanding and listened. Waiting to see if the sound would be repeated.

"Daddy?" Kelly asked, confused.

"Shh." he listened carefully.

Another faint whimper made its way through the speaker of the baby monitor along with a small moan.

Quickly, Jethro set Kelly on the floor.

"Daddy?" she called after him.

He was sprinting up the basement stairs as a blood curdling scream was heard throughout the house.

* * *

A/N: Well? What do you think? Basically its just the same chapter that has a little more added to it. Lemme know what you think (: review? (:


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: I know! I know! It's been like FOREVER since I've updated! BUT! I have a reason! I've had a lot going on at home lately. In the past year my family has been suffering a lot with issues concerning my sister and her mental state. My dad goes in for his third major shoulder surgery on Tuesday and he might not have a job when he's able to go back to work. One of our cars was stolen so we've had to deal with that. And on top of everything else, I've had to break up with my boyfriend. Yeah, I know he's just a guy and there are plenty more out in the world, but he wasn't just any guy. He was my best friend and I could tell him anything, or at least, I thought could. He ended up blaming me for everything that had gone wrong in our relationship. He kept pressuring me to tell him what was going on at home and I couldn't, nor would I ever, tell him what was happening. He even resorted to telling me he would kill himself if I broke up with him. Let's just say that we haven't really spoken in two months. That and he's kinda screwed up in the head. He's told my friends that he wants to shoot someone every time he looks at me. (Not that I already have some of the most important people to me blaming me for things that are out of my control, he just has to add that, huh?) I feel like I should ask how you guys' holidays were….well mine was pretty good. I got season 8 of_ NCIS_ :D and season 1 of_ NCIS LA_ and season 1 of_ Supernatural_! :D That totally made my awful 2011 so much better :3**

**Anyways, back to the task at hand. I've finally finished chapter four! :D And, well, I kinda need some help with writing my other stories. The next chapter of_ What's Next?_ is proving to be a pain in the butt, while the next chapter of_ What's Your Story?_ hates my guts. I can't seem to write a flashback for the life of me. So, if any of you that have read either or both of those and would like to help me, I will love you forever and be eternally grateful! (: Anyways, onward with the next chapter of_ I'll Always Be There. No Matter What._ !**

**Disclaimer: I don't think I've had one of these yet….and I think I should just post a basic one on my profile since I keep forgetting to post one on each chapter ._. but any ways…I do not own NCIS or anything that is associated with it. I do, however, own the plot line :3**

* * *

It pulled his heart strings each time his little boy let out another scream.

Jethro burst into the room and looked at the little body on the bed before him. Tony appeared to still be asleep. His small limbs tangled in the sheets. His face was red and streaked with tears. Eyes screwed shut, continuing to watch whatever horrible images his mind created.

He could barely make out what his son was screaming. Most of it being incoherent gibberish, there were only a few words that stood out and broke the marine's heart.

"No!" Tony yelled as his nightmare continued to play out. "They not gone!" his small body tossed around once again, tangling himself in his covers even more. "No!" he yelled out again. "They not dead!" he let out a choked sob. "THEY NOT DEAD!" he screamed in his sleep.

Jethro quickly went to his son's bedside, not wanting him to suffer any longer. He let the side down and sat on the edge o the bed. Gently, he took his little boy's hands, prying the blankets from his tiny fists and taking them in his, letting small fingers cling to him. All while he spoke soft soothing words.

"Shh." he whispered. "It's okay, Tony." He let his thumbs rub small circles on the top of Tony's hands. "Shh. I'm here Tony. Shh. No one's gone, baby boy. Everyone's okay."

He watched as small, terrified green eyes opened, locking onto steal blue.

"D-daddy?" he sniffled.

He could see the question in his boy's eyes.

"Oh, Tony." He gathered his son into his arms and held him tightly.

Tony grasped a fist full of his father's shirt in his right hand and held on tightly. He let his head fall and rest on his father's chest. He began to mumble "You not there." Over and over.

Jethro began to rub small circles on his little boy's back as he began to cry once again.

"Shh." he whispered. "It's okay Tony. Shh. I'm right here." he rocked back and forth slightly. "I'm not going anywhere." he kissed Tony's head. "I'm not going anywhere." he repeated.

* * *

About ten minutes later, Jethro had finally lulled Tony back to sleep. With more soothing words and reassuring that he wasn't going anywhere, Tony's eyes had finally closed, the thumb on his left hand stuck firmly in his mouth.

"Daddy?" Kelly called softly from her brother's doorway. She had heard the whole situation through the baby monitor in the basement.

Jethro turned his head towards his little girl's voice.

"Hey Kelly." He said quietly.

Kelly took a few steps into the room.

"Is TJ okay?" she asked. Her brother's screams still fresh in her mind. Hearing what he had been dreaming, had scared her.

He thought a moment before he responded to his daughter's question.

"For now." he finally answered.

Kelly nodded and made her way to the bed. She climbed up and curled up next to her dad and brother.

"Daddy?" she asked softly.

Jethro turned and glanced down at his little girl.

"Can I sleep here?" she asked.

He nodded, not wanting to wake Tony.

Kelly gave her dad a small smile before finally letting sleep claim her.

Jethro watched as Kelly's breathing evened out, confirming that she had fallen asleep. He then turned his attention to the little boy in his arms. Even in his sleep, Tony kept the handful of his father's shirt grasped tightly in his small fist. As if he were to let go, Jethro would disappear.

He sat there, watching his children sleep. Occasionally running his fingers along Kelly's back, and alternating between rubbing small circles on his back or carding his fingers through Tony's hair.

After a few more moments of listening to his little ones' even breathing, he finally let his body rest from the exhaustion.

* * *

When Shannon returned, she put the few items she had needed to pick up away, and then proceeded to go and check the basement for her husband. Seeing that he wasn't down there, she grabbed the monitor and headed upstairs, thinking he must have gone to bed.

Once she reached the top of the stairs, she headed for their bedroom. _Not there._ she thought to herself. She made her way back down the hall and checked Kelly's room. _No Kelly._ she was beginning to panic. She quickly, yet silently, opened the door to Tony's room and released a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding.

Jethro had managed to lay down on their son's bed, with Kelly up against his left side, and Tony curled up on his chest. His father's protective arm across his back, holding him close.

Shannon smiled and went back to the master bedroom, returning with a camera, forever capturing that moment.

* * *

The following morning, Jethro was awoken by the scent of freshly brewed coffee wafting in through the bedroom door.

Slowly, he became aware of his surroundings. The first thing he noticed was that there was something warm pressed against his side. Second, he noticed a warm weight on his chest. He slowly opened his eyes and noticed Kelly hadn't moved from her spot being curled up next to him. He let a small smile form as he looked at his daughter's peaceful features.

After a few moments, he allowed his eyes to drift towards the weight on his chest.

Tony was still fast asleep atop his father's chest. The grasp he had on Jethro's shirt hadn't loosened during the night.

Jethro smiled a little more as he ran his fingers through the toddler's hair. Slowly, he let his gaze drift away from his sleeping children and towards the clock on the wall.

_7:45_

_Should probably get up and ready for the day. _he thought. Slowly, he sat up, being careful not to wake his daughter, while at the same time, trying not to jostle his little boy.

Once he had successfully gotten off the bed without waking rather of his children, he turned his focus to the next task at hand.

The separation of Tony and himself.

With the small boy cradled to his chest, he slowly and carefully began to bend down, trying to lay Tony on the bed. Yet, the second his back hit the mattress, he let out a small whimper. Jethro stopped moving and looked down at his son.

He had just begun the extraction of his shirt from Tony's small fingers, when his gaze was met with the sleepy, slightly unfocused, green eyes of his little boy.

"Daddy?" Tony's voice was soft and laced with sleep.

"Yeah bud?" Jethro replied. "You don't have to get up yet." He ran his fingers through Tony's already mused hair. "Daddy's just going downstairs."

The moment the words left his mouth, Tony's eyes went wide.

"Noooo." he whimpered. His bottom lip began to quiver and the loose grip Jethro had managed to get on his shirt, returned full force. "Noooo." His eyes were quickly filling with tears. "Daddy stay." he pulled weakly at the shirt in his hand in attempts to make him stay with him. "Daddy stay." he whimpered again.

Jethro's heart broke as he realized that Tony was still suffering from the nightmare. Carefully, he brought one hand under Tony's back while the other, that was still carded in the soft brown hair, moved to support the toddler's head and neck as he picked him up and cradled him against his chest once more.

"Hey, there's no need to cry. " he stood from the bed and began to walk around the room, gently rubbing soothing circles on his son's back. "See? I'm right here." he kissed the top of Tony's head. "Daddy isn't going anywhere."

* * *

**A/N: So, how was it? Not too bad for a gazillion months wait. Right? Lemme know what you think of it in a review? Please? (:**


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